1. Field of the Invention
Aspects of this invention relate generally to survey methods, and more particularly to a system and method for evaluating gaming machines that is configured for facilitating the collection of accurate feedback with respect to respondents' opinions, both conscious and unconscious, of the gaming machines.
2. Description of Related Art
The following art defines the present state of this field:
Like many goods and services, slot machines and other types of gambling machines—hereinafter simply referred to generally as “gaming machines”—are often put through market research testing before they are made available for public use. Traditionally, the evaluation of a gaming machine has simply involved allowing a select group of respondents the opportunity to play the machine in a controlled environment, oftentimes without any other machines to test it against, and then rate the machine on an absolute scale. As such, that scale would tend to vary dramatically based on the relative experience and habits of each respondent.
Additionally, traditional gaming machine evaluation methods have allowed respondents to use free credits—rather than their own money—to play the machine, and similarly failed to provide the respondent with any payouts; instead, the respondent being asked to simply play the machine for the sole purpose of rating the game play. As such, this form of evaluation has tended to reduce the respondent's stake, or real interest, in the game play and has ultimately caused the respondent's opinion of the machine to be based on less than realistic factors.
Thus, there remains a need in the field of gaming machine evaluation for a system and method that assists in eliciting a more accurate consumer opinion on machines that are being evaluated. Aspects of the present invention fulfill these needs and provide further related advantages as described in the following summary.